<em>Veirya’s Embrace</em>


    Veirya sat next to me. She monitored me for a reaction before speaking: "Leah. Is asleep. You always slept with Leah. No exceptions. So. Did. Something happen?"


    Only then did I remember Leah transformed into an adult at night. I couldn''t leave Leah with Veirya at night. I had spent the entire night grouching as I watched the fire. I felt as though my body burnt hotter than the fire. I didn''t reply. I silently dug my fingernails into my palm. Veirya carried on, "Leah. Didn''t dare to approach you. She said. You were angry. I want to know. What happened. Also. Where is Francis?"


    I didn''t know how much time had past; we had yet to hear back from Francis. As I previously mentioned, I suspected he went along with hispetition''s ruse to bamboozle me. People tend to conjure up all sorts of ideas when they''re nervous just as I was.


    Francis was either an idiot or a traitor. His continuous mentions of his brothers and his memories of the past may have just been part of his ruse. He might''ve said all of that to lower my guard. Had I not demanded him to return the contract just before, I wouldn''t have had a single thing.


    I didn''t want to see Veirya yet. I made a mistake; I let her down. Veirya ced her faith in me, yet I let her down. I practically handed over thend to the dwarf for nothing. If there was something underneath thend, I might really have lost everything. Veirya believed I could deal with it all, but I failed. I let down my woman. She saved me, protected me and apanied me, yet I couldn''t even fulfil my role. I let my lord down. How was I going to answer to her.


    Teeth, I muttered, "Sorry."


    "Why?"


    "I… made a mistake." I gnashed my teeth. I aggressively grabbed a piece of wood and hurled it into the fire. In a muffled voice, I said, "Francis might''ve fooled me. Else, the group fooled him. Either way, I was duped. I almost lost this block ofnd and lost money. Veirya, I''m sorry; I let you down. You trusted me, but I almost gave away thisnd for no reason, nevertheless. You''re the lord, yet I failed to protect you…"


    My energy seemingly escaped my mouth. I dejectedly sat on the ground and peered at the fire with my eyes looking empty. The me appeared as nothing but an illusion before my eyes. I virtually couldn''t see anything. Guilt and regret gnawed at me. Defeated, I bemoaned, "During the day, you were insulted, yet I couldn''t argue back. I couldn''t even dismount. In the end, I had to rely on you to protect me. I thought I could help you with something else; in the end, I failed to do even my own job. I failed you."


    Veirya gazed at me in silence. She didn''tfort me even when I finished speaking. I knew that was Veirya''s nature, and, of course, she knew I was wrong in her stubborn mind. That was why she didn''t want tofort me. She was nice enough to not admonish me. I couldn''t imagine herforting me, either. I was satisfied to have her just sit next to me. Neither of us spoke. I continued to sit by the fire and stare at it. I didn''t need to make excuses for myself. It was my mistake. My mistake was being too impulsive. I trusted Francis more than I should''ve trusted him. I wasn''t thatx when I met Lucia.


    I couldn''t help reproaching myself, "Why did I trust Francis. He was even a key yer in my victory against the chapel, so why did I trust him? What in the world was I thinking?! Why did I have to get greedy for such a meagre amount? I shouldn''t have trusted him, and I shouldn''t have gotten involved. Why did I not stop myself and get involved when I went to the bank to ask about the loan?!! Why?!!"


    Suddenly, Veirya remarked, "I. Was so frightened by goblins. That I wet myself."


    I looked up at Veirya but no words wouldeto mind. Veirya borated, "Later. Demons attacked us. My arm was nearly. Gnawed off. Lucilia. Almost died in their jaws. Afterwards. They forced us. Into the water. We almost drowned."


    I couldn''t figure out what point Veirya was trying to make. I couldn''t see how it was relevant to the topic at hand. She carried on, "That''s why. I. Don''t think it''s a problem. People. Will always trip. So. It''s fine."


    "Veirya…"


    Veirya quavered if I wasn''t mistaken. I asked myself, "Was that her way offorting me? Did Veiryafort me? Veirya actually took the initiative tofort someone?"


    "I. Told you. What I considered embarrassing. So. Are you. Better now? Everyone. Will fail. So. You don''t need. To be so dejected."


    Veirya''s blue eyes gradually looked foggy. I didn''t know why my emotions surged up to my eyes and tried to escape as tears. Veirya''s attempt atforting me was seriously clumsy; she had no clue how tofort someone. She merely shared her embarrassing stories with me. The way she looked at me gave me the impression she was somewhat despondent. She turned her head away and added, "Sorry… I. Don''t know… how tofort people, so…"


    I suddenly went to hug Veirya, but she reacted swiftly, stopping my arm with hers. I froze; I suddenly realised what I just did. She held onto my arm. I had no idea if it was a subconscious action or if she didn''t want me to let me hug her… Nheless, she immediately answered my query. She reached out and pulled me into her arms simrly to a mother.


    Veirya and my height, which was quite close, were perfect for that moment. Her hands felt particrly gentle and soft around me. I gently rested on her shoulder. I couldn''t hold back my tears any longer. She hugged me without a word or expression, but her arms were ever so firm and reassuring.


    I stopped thinking. My indignation finally converted to tears on Veirya''s shoulder. Crying on her shoulder actually sort of reversed our roles. In any event, I didn''t consider it a problem then. I was happy to have her shoulder at that moment.


    Veirya wouldn''t even rebuke me; she evenforted me. Veirya was no longer the old Veirya of the past. Additionally, she wouldfort me when I was disheartened. That was proof she cared about me. That was nice enough for me. Veirya still cared about me. I never expected her to care for me so much.


    We understood how each other felt, though. At the very least, I knew that Veirya upied my heart. I didn''t know if she thought about me, though.


    Veirya still trusted me. Despite my failure and requiring her to protect me, when I was a good for nothing and a ve she could throw out whenever she liked, she still cared about me and lent me her embrace.


    A sequence of footsteps interrupted us. Veirya slowly released me. I saw Francis, who looked downtrodden more than ever. He wobbled over to us. Hisnguid eyes suggested that nothing happened, or maybe something bad happened to him.


    He dropped to his knees all of a sudden. Quavering, he apologised, "Sorry… sorry… I''m so sorry… Veirya, Tarak. It was my mistake. It was all my mistake. I was tricked. They tricked me. I was disgracefully tricked. I didn''t mean to implicate you… I honestly… didn''t do it on purpose… The… the mineral I need isn''t here…"


    I suddenly felt as if shackles on me were removed. Veirya''s shoulder helped me regain myposure. I said, "All right. It doesn''t matter. I didn''t suffer too many losses. The contract we signed was for development. You can only use thisnd for developing a mine; that is what its uses are limited to. Therefore, I can give it to you. As for the five hundred gold coins, I don''t want them, either."


    "I guess this should be over now. My failure should end here, right…?" I wondered.